Comments on: Oakland’s new middle school administratorhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/education/2008/08/07/oaklands-new-middle-school-administrator/
Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schoolsTue, 02 Dec 2014 18:10:00 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1By: Gordon Danninghttp://www.ibabuzz.com/education/2008/08/07/oaklands-new-middle-school-administrator/comment-page-1/#comment-23226
Gordon DanningSun, 13 Dec 2009 20:05:54 +0000http://www.ibabuzz.com/education/?p=1063#comment-23226I just want to state for the record that the NExO who oversees Oakland High School – Alison McDonald – has always been very responsive to my concerns. Of course, she was a teacher for 20+ years, so perhaps she is the exception to the rule.
]]>By: Gonzohttp://www.ibabuzz.com/education/2008/08/07/oaklands-new-middle-school-administrator/comment-page-1/#comment-23223
GonzoSun, 13 Dec 2009 16:46:29 +0000http://www.ibabuzz.com/education/?p=1063#comment-23223I don’t know where the model comes from, but a lot of school districts are organized in a similar manner, to the point where they have identical district office department names, functions, etc. It’s interesting because not all states have district offices. For example, Maryland public schools report to the county offices (BTW, the state of Maryland’s public school system was ranked number one last year). Delaware is considering a similar design. It’s called consolidation. A Delaware study showed the state could save 50 Million by consolidating a certain percentage (not even all) of it’s district offices. That’s a lot of money that can be directed right to schools and students. It’s only a matter of time until the CDE wakes up and realizes the same. The schools in the east bay could just as easily report to the Alameda county office of ed.
]]>By: Sharonhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/education/2008/08/07/oaklands-new-middle-school-administrator/comment-page-1/#comment-17836
SharonThu, 16 Jul 2009 23:38:24 +0000http://www.ibabuzz.com/education/?p=1063#comment-17836Gonzo: Do you know what principal supervisor models exist at other school districts? Was the NExO model imposed by O’Connell’s Broad-trained administration? If so, how were principals supervised by the district before they took control?
]]>By: Gonzohttp://www.ibabuzz.com/education/2008/08/07/oaklands-new-middle-school-administrator/comment-page-1/#comment-17835
GonzoThu, 16 Jul 2009 18:29:49 +0000http://www.ibabuzz.com/education/?p=1063#comment-17835As a former mid-to-high level district office employee, I can tell you that Executive Officers do very little. It’s a cakewalk in comparison to running a school. I have worked with Gia in the past, and although I don’t appreciate her politics, which rely on reductionism, she is a hardworking person, which I respect. However, she has limited experience running one school let alone multiple schools, so it is unclear to me why she was picked to be an Executive Officer. This is par for the course in the district office, however, where a vast majority of the top-level employees arrive through professional or personal connections (Broad) and boy do they pay themselves well. Yet, many of these folks in the district office pulling in the big salaries have little to no experience in management.

If the district office were closed tomorrow and all the money were instead directed straight to the schools we would see dramatic improvements. You would be appalled at how little work gets done in the district office. While there are many talented hardworking people there, their efforts get lost in the top-down, do-nothing politics of the superintendent’s strategy group. They get frustrated and leave, only to be replaced by more Broad graduates and they cycle continues.

Not wanting to just rant without offering a solution I will say that what needs to be done is create accountability at the district level. It’s a travesty that teachers and principals are subject to such stringent accountability measures when nothing the district office does is ever measured for effectiveness. Until that changes, there will be very little positive change for OUSD, I’m afraid.

]]>By: Catherinehttp://www.ibabuzz.com/education/2008/08/07/oaklands-new-middle-school-administrator/comment-page-1/#comment-17834
CatherineTue, 12 Aug 2008 17:04:19 +0000http://www.ibabuzz.com/education/?p=1063#comment-17834What do NEXOs actually do? What do they attempt to accomplish and have they succeeded? Are they part of Expect Success?

With half of the NEXOs gone, will we notice the difference except that we will have the money in the budget that we were paying them. Our school’s NEXO is gone, but of the three times I communicated with him, the only time he responded positively was when I was stroking him and our new principal. When I actually brought up problems or issues, his only response is “She’s a good teacher.” And yes, the teacher in question was a good teacher; however she needed to ramp up for those children who were working above grade level and I was trying to get her some training – a previous 1st grade teacher, teaching 3rd grade, still using techniques and even projects she used in 1sr grade.

With a little help and guidance, she would have been an Excellent Teacher for all 3rd graders – sadly the NEXO did not help her, or me and a previously great teacher left for Berkeley Unified.

It has been my experience that most of these new, young “administrators” are far from qualified, and walk in full of attitude, authoritative behavior, lack of personnel and employee communication etiquette, and lack of understanding about Federal and State laws that govern programs under their control.

Most come out with a preliminary Administrative Services credential and have no practical experience. Like teachers, in my opinion, they need at least a 5 year mentoring partnership with veteren, retired principals, to orient them to the profession to be even ‘ready’ to be able to carry out the functions of a principal role in an Urban setting, and unfortunately the State of CA, the County, and the Districts serving Urban schools do not provide such a program.

I do not know the particulars of this administrator you are upset with — however, I can realistically tell you that you need to take responsibility for your own destiny, including signing up for a communitiy college course (okay’d by your counselor) at night, online, or on weekends to get the knowledge in Algebra (and other subjects) you are seeking and then bounce that off what you are being taught in your classroom using inquiry-based approaches to your education and life.

Be the expert, question the authoriity of your school’s leadership and faculty, and offer your peers help like a leader. Please do not risk your future to the Dilemmas of public urban education and socio-economic disparities that you have little or no power to overcome. Education is power!

]]>By: Jose, Former Studenthttp://www.ibabuzz.com/education/2008/08/07/oaklands-new-middle-school-administrator/comment-page-1/#comment-17833
Jose, Former StudentSat, 09 Aug 2008 04:42:41 +0000http://www.ibabuzz.com/education/?p=1063#comment-17833My brother just graduated from UPA and it was a joke. He and his friend who was the top 8th grade student got all A’s at UPA. They were lost in Algebra.

I hope they get a new principal who will make sure ever 8th grade student gets a good teacher and Algebra book.

Ms. Elisa, are you sending your child to UPA?

]]>By: Elisahttp://www.ibabuzz.com/education/2008/08/07/oaklands-new-middle-school-administrator/comment-page-1/#comment-17831
ElisaFri, 08 Aug 2008 00:17:35 +0000http://www.ibabuzz.com/education/?p=1063#comment-17831As a resident and mom in Oakland who will send her chld(ren) to our neighborhood OUSD school and also as a former colleague of Ms. Truong, I am thrilled to hear of this appointment. Gia is one of the most thoughtful, deliberate educators with whom I’ve worked–dedicated to creating an environments that expect much out of students while also supporting the work and the thinking it takes to get them there. Kudos to OUSD for managing to keep and promote such a gifted educator. This is good news for our middle schools.
]]>